Monday, December 14, 2009

Terror plot gang show no remorse

Five men who conspired to wage violent jihad in Sydney have shown no remorse for their evil scheme and remain a danger to the public, a court has heard.

The men, who cannot be named online for legal reasons, were found guilty by a jury in October of conspiring to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act or acts on Australian soil.

In a sentencing hearing, Crown Prosecutor Richard Maidment, QC, has called for three of the men to be jailed for a minimum of 20 years, with longer terms imposed on the two alleged ring-leaders.

``Given that the evidence points to a high level of defiance on the part of these offenders and no evidence of any retraction of their extremist views, we would submit that they are all very poor candidates for rehabilitation and will remain a danger to the public for many years to come,'' Mr Maidment said.

``The court can have no confidence that when they are released from prison, they will be anything other than still a danger to the public.''

Mr Maidment said the men's intentions in stock-piling weapons, ammunition and ingredients to make explosives, which some stored in their homes, was to cause damage to property and pose ``a serious risk to human life.''

``It is tempting...to say that one can deduce beyond reasonable doubt an intent to kill. However, it is not clear that the accused had reached a final conclusion as to what terrorist act to carry out,'' he said.

Lawyers for two of the men argued their clients did not deserve such lengthy sentences.

Richard Button, SC, said his client had no prior criminal history and was ``a happy-go-lucky, unsophisticated fellow - one of the boys.''

He said a "stern sentence, but not a disproportionately crushing one'' was in order.

He added it was impossible to predict the prospects of his client's rehabilitation ``decades hence.''

"There will be ample time for reflection,'' he said.

Representing another of the men, Dina Yehia told the court her client was severely depressed due to the conditions in prison and his wife and children not visiting him for more than a year.

She said he had not played a leading role in the conspiracy and had not paid for any of the chemicals or ammunition found in their homes, therefore a sentence of less than 20 years would be more appropriate.

Four of the men have been in jail since their arrest in November 2005, with the fifth arrested a month later.